The Chicago Bears kick off their season tonight on Monday Night Football against the Minnesota Vikings. After an exciting week one of football on Sunday, one can only hope that tonight’s game is just as great. If it’s not a fantastic game, I’ll take a snoozefest where the Bears win by three touchdowns, but I digress.
To help get you set for tonight’s primetime tilt, we sat down with SB Nation’s Minnesota Vikings site, the Daily Norseman. We exchanged questions with Christopher Gates, and here’s what
he had to say about the Vikings heading into week one of the 2025 season.
1. Let’s start with JJ McCarthy. I know he’s entering his second year, but I see this as a rookie season for him. How have reports been in training camp, and what do you expect in week one?
The reports were mixed coming out of camp. There were times when we heard that he was having struggles with accuracy and things of that nature, but then there were reports like the ones we got during the team’s joint practices with New England ahead of the second preseason game that said he was lighting it up. He only played one series in the preseason, so we don’t have a whole lot of visual evidence of our own to go on at this point. I would expect him to have some inconsistencies, particularly early on, but I think if the Vikings’ improved offensive line can keep him upright that he’ll get comfortable and start making some plays.
2. We know Kevin O’Connell is a QB whisperer, and with guys like Justin Jefferson to throw to, McCarthy is in a good spot to succeed. With KOC calling the shots, what do you think the floor and ceiling are for McCarthy’s career?
I think the floor for McCarthy is that of a low-end starter in the NFL. Not a guy that you’re actively looking to replace on an annual basis, but someone who might not necessarily be the long-term answer. He just seems to have the right attitude and work ethic to not be a complete flop in the NFL, so I don’t think we have to worry about him being a total bust or anything like that. With Kevin O’Connell guiding him, however, I honestly think he can be a top-five starting quarterback in this league. Yes, he wasn’t asked to do much in college, but the fact that he wasn’t asked to do much doesn’t automatically mean that he’s not capable of doing more. With a solid offensive coach like O’Connell guiding him, the sky is really the limit, in my opinion.
3. What should Bears fans expect out of the wide receiver room on Monday Night Football? We know Jordan Addison is out with a suspension, but the Vikings have been really careful with Justin Jefferson as well, and now here’s an old friend alert with Adam Thielen as well.
The Vikings brought Thielen in because he’s already familiar with the offense and gives them the option of someone they can plug-and-play immediately. With Addison sitting this one (and the next two) out, they needed that viable option at the WR2 spot. Jalen Nailor has had his moments, but he hasn’t had enough of them to this point to make anyone think he’s a reliable #2 option. Also, he’s dealing with a hand injury, which is never a great thing for a wide receiver, so Thielen gives them a solid #2 option and a definite threat in the red zone. Jefferson is going to be Jefferson, which is pretty darn good, particularly if Jaylon Johnson either can’t go or isn’t at 100% for Monday’s contest. Even with Addison out, I think the Bears could have some difficulties with the Vikings’ wide receiver group.
4. When people discuss this game coming up on Monday, whether it’s locally in Chicago or nationally, we keep hearing about how much Ben Johnson has Brian Flores’ number when they face each other. What does Ben do so well that Flores struggles with, and what can Flores do to try and combat that on Monday?
I’m not sure how much of it was Ben Johnson and how much of it was Jared Goff, to be honest. If you look at all four of the games the Vikings lost last season, two to the Lions and two to the Rams, those two teams were led by quarterbacks who are both very good at playing under center and both very good and working with play-action passes, particularly from under center. Those are the sorts of things that can, at the very least, slow down some of what the Vikings want to do on defense. From the limited bit I saw of him last year, I’m not sure how good Caleb Williams is at those things, but I don’t think he’s at the level of Goff or Matthew Stafford. If Johnson has worked with Williams enough to have improved that part of his game, he can implement the same sorts of things that gave the Vikings’ defense issues when they’ve faced the Lions over the past couple of seasons. If Williams either can’t do those things or the Vikings take away that option by getting out to an early lead, I don’t know if things are going to go as well for Ben Johnson against the Vikings this year as they have the last couple of seasons.
5. The Vikings are currently a 1.5-point favorite on FanDuel despite a quarterback making his first career start on the road. Do you agree with the spread, and how do you see this one playing out?
This one, I think, is going to come down to which team does a better job of protecting their young quarterback. Both teams chose to upgrade the interior of the offensive line this offseason, and the Vikings will (hopefully) be seeing the return of Christian Darrisaw, who missed the second half of last season after tearing his ACL in the Vikings’ first loss to the Rams. With some of the names we’ve already seen on the injury report for the Bears, I have a feeling that the Vikings will end up doing more to help J.J. McCarthy than the Bears will to help Caleb Williams. I don’t think it’s going to be a blowout or anything, but with the spread being less than a field goal, just about any Vikings win should be enough to cover the number. I’ll take the Vikings in a close one, 24-20.
